HyperbaricTrainingCenterDeutschland
e.V.foundet on 02-02-2001 in
Hamburg

Regulation
governing the examination
leading to the accredited qualification
of Certificated
Diver

dated 25 February 2000

Art. 1
Scope

(1) By way of preparation for the diving examination, the competent authority
can conduct advanced training courses or have such courses conducted as provided
under Art. 4.

(2) To furnish evidence of the knowledge, skills and experience acquired
during the vocational advanced training as a diver, the competent authority
can hold examinations as provided in Articles 3 to 12.

Art. 2
Objective of the Vocational Advanced Training and
Designation of the Final Qualification

(1) The purpose of participation in the advanced training referred to under
Art. 1 (1) shall be to intensify and complement knowledge, skills and experience
acquired in the course of vocational training and operational practice.

(2) The examination is intended to establish whether the
candidate has the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to fulfil the
following duties of
a diver:

1. To operate, maintain and use compressed-air diving apparatus;
2. To operate, maintain and use equipment and apparatus for underwater operations;
3. To carry out underwater operations;

4. To observe and comply with the regulations on work safety and accident
prevention in diving operations.

(3) A pass in the examination leads to the accredited qualification of “Certificated
Diver”.

Art. 3
Conditions of Admission

(1) Admission to the examination shall be granted to those persons, who
furnish proof of

1. having passed a final examination in a recognised trade or profession
requiring training or of at least four years of vocational practice

and

2. then at least two years of operational practice in a diving company

and

2. regular attendance at the advanced training specified under Art. 4

and

4. acquisition of the Bronze German Lifesaving Medal of the Deutsche Lebensrettungs-Gesellschaft
(German Lifesaving Society) or comparable accomplishments.
The operational practice referred to under No. 2 must serve the purposes
of the advanced vocational training to become a “Certificated Diver” and
have a major bearing on his or her duties as provided in Art. 2 (2).

(2) Moreover, a valid certificate shall be presented as evidence that there
are no reservations against diving on health grounds.

(3) Notwithstanding (1) above, any person can also be
admitted to the examination, who submits certificates or in some other way
substantiates that he or she
has acquired the knowledge, skills and experience justifying admission to
the examination.

(2) As a rule, the advanced training course comprises 320 hours of tuition,
in the course of which the knowledge and skills described in Attachment 3
shall be communicated.

(3) The operational training shall be conducted in diving companies, where
a permanently employed master diver, who has passed the examination as Master
Diver pursuant to statutory provisions under Art. 46 (1) of the German Professional
Training Act, shall be entrusted with the training sessions. The training
shall comprise at least 200 hours of diving, in the course of which the knowledge
and skills described in the Annex on Page 4 shall be imparted.

(4) A certificate shall be issued attesting to regular attendance of the
advanced training.

Art. 5
Structure of the Examination

(1) The examination shall be composed of

1. a theoretical part and

2. a practical part.

(2) The two parts of the examinations can be taken on different dates,
in which case the last part of the examination shall commence no later than
one year after the first day of the part of the examination already taken.

Art. 6
Theoretical Part

(1) The following subjects shall be tested in the theoretical part of the
examination:

1. Equipment knowledge,

2. Working knowledge,

3. Basic medical knowledge for divers,

4. Legal stipulations,

5. Technical calculations and technical drawing.

(2) The following aspects of “Equipment knowledge” can be examined:

1. Structure and mode of operation of compressed air diving apparatus,

2. Use, handling, maintenance and storage of compressed air diving apparatus,
Compressed air supply equipment, Accessories for diving apparatus and auxiliary
diving equipment as well as Compression chambers.

(3) The following aspects of “Working knowledge” can be examined:

1. Preparations for diving operations,

2. Diving with different types of diving apparatus and the performance of
diving operations,

(4) The following aspects of “Basic medical knowledge for divers” can
be examined:

1. Basic knowledge of anatomy, physiology and physics for understanding
matters of medical relevance to divers,

2. Knowledge of health hazards in diving operations, including the necessary
counter-measures.

(5) The following aspects of “Legal stipulations” can be examined:

Knowledge of the pertinent accident prevention regulations and laws, existing
ordinances and rules on protecting health and safety.(6) The following aspects of “Technical calculations and technical
drawing” can be examined:

1. Basic knowledge of physics,

2. Basic knowledge of strength of materials,

3. Calculation of area, volume and weight,

4. Production of simple technical outline drawings,

5. Reading simple technical drawings.

(7) The theoretical part of the examination shall be conducted both in
writing and orally.

(8) The written examination should generally not exceed six hours and shall
consist of one paper per subject of at least one hour duration and to be
sat under supervision.

(9) The oral examination shall be carried out in at least one subject and
generally lasts 15 minutes per subject and per candidate, but no longer than
30 minutes in total. The candidate should demonstrate that he or she is in
a position to identify specific professional situations, clarify their causes
and propose competent solutions.

(10) Notwithstanding Para. (9), the examinations committee
can exempt candidates from the oral examination, if the candidate has performed
well in all the
written sections of the examination.

Art. 7
Practical Part

(1) The following operational fields shall be tested in the practical part
of the examination:

1. Handling of diving and operating equipment,

2. Performance of diving operations.

(2) The following aspects of “Handling of diving and operating equipment” can
be examined:

1. Operation and maintenance of autonomous diving equipment and equipment
supplied by tube,

2. Operation, maintenance and possible uses of equipment and apparatus for
underwater operations.

(3) The following aspects of “Performance of diving operations” can
be examined:

1. Welding and cutting,

2. Concreting and formwork,

2. Flushing work,

3. Measuring, video recordings, photo, ultrasonic work,

5. Lifting work,

5. Assembly,

7. Searching,

8. Sealing,

9. Preserving and cleaning.

(4) The practical part of the examination shall be conducted in the form
of practical work, using both autonomous diving processes and processes supplied
by tube. As a rule, the duration of the examination should not exceed three
hours per candidate and last at least one hour per operational field.

Art. 8
Crediting of other Attainments

(1) Any training completed at public institutions within the previous five
years and meeting the requirements of Attachments 3 and 4 of these regulations
shall be credited against the advanced training.

(2) The candidate can upon request be exempted by the competent authority
from taking individual parts of the examination, if in the five years prior
to filing the application he or she has passed an examination before a competent
body of a public or state-recognised educational establishment or before
a state examinations committee, provided that the content of such examination
meets the requirements of the respective subjects and/or operational fields
of this examination. No full exemption shall be permitted.

Art. 9
Passing the Examination

(1) The examination shall be passed, if the candidate’s performance
was at least adequate in all the subjects and operational fields specified
under Articles 6 and 7. The grades for the written and oral tests in one
subject shall be added together to give one grade, so that the written and
oral marks have the same weighting.

(2) As evidence of having passed the examination, a certificate shall be
issued in compliance with Attachment 1 in German and English as well as a
further certificate in compliance with Attachment 2. In case of exemption
as provided under Art. 8, the place, date and name of the examination body
of the examination taken elsewhere shall be indicated instead of the grade.

Art. 10
Repetition of the Examination

(1) A failed examination can be retaken twice.

(2) In the repeat examination the candidate shall be exempted from taking
individual parts of the examination, if his or her performance was adequate
in these parts in a prior examination and he or she registers to take the
examination again within two years of the date of completion of the failed
examination. The candidate can also apply to repeat parts of the examination,
which were previously passed. The result of the repeated examination shall
be considered in the assessment.

Art. 11
Transitional Provisions

(1) Any examinations ongoing at the time these regulations come into force
can be completed under the provisions previously in force.

(2) Any candidates, who fail the diving examination taken in compliance
with the previous provisions and who register to take it again within two
years of these regulations coming into force, shall be entitled to take the
repeat examination under the provisions previously in force. At the request
of the candidate, the competent authority can conduct the repeat examination
in compliance with these regulations, in which case Art. 10 (2) shall not
apply.